What NOT to feed mantids.

[Malakyoma]

So as most of you know, Im a new member of the forum getting started with mantids shortly. I've heard a few rules about what to feed mantids and what they can handle. Things like "Whatever can fit in their grip" for size, but I've also heard people say they wont feed mantids spiders, ants, or crickets occasionally.

So what I want to know is, what will you never feed your mantid and why? Is anything but whats on your list ok as long as the mantid is big enough? Thanks for the help.

 

[hierodula]

Dont feed wasps, because they sting and bite, and are mostly shell with little meat. Be wary of crickets from youre local pet store if freshly bought, but crickets you feed for a few days to gut load are okay (cause you know whats going in your mantis). Be careful of agressive spiders like wolf spiders, because they can kill it. DONT FEED BEES BECAUSE THEYRE POPULATION IS IN DECLINE. In general though, pretty much everything else will work

 

[Malakyoma]

What do you suggest gutloading crickets with? I heard potato is acceptable.

 

[hierodula]

Potato, lettuce, oats.. Crickets are opportunistic, and pretty much every thing you eat, they will eat. Dont use too much carrot in their food mix because the carrot sometimes make my mantids vomit after they eat the cricket.

 

[Golden State Vivs]

Potato and lettuce have little to no nutritional value. A good feed for cricket gut-loading is either a commercially available gut-load (such as Repashy Bug Burger, available through our resident bug vendors) or a homemade slurry consisting of a high quality protein (good quality dog or cat food, or fish flake) coupled with quality high-nutrient greens and fruit, such as kale, collards, endive, escarole, parsley, cilantro, oranges, apples, etc.

 

[Crazy4mantis]

Other mantids.

It really depends on what species you have. A "standard garden mantis" will eat anything they can catch. (that's safe) but some like certain flower mantids will only eat flying food and completely ignore crickets etc. what are you planning on keeping?

 

[Mvalenz]

Don't feed them fried foods. Its bad for their cholesterol. Just kidding I feed them every insect except bees, wasps, and spiders.

 

[Malakyoma]

As of right now it's looking like I'll have a ghost, a creo, and potentially some popa (depending on how they handle shipping) by early november.

 

[Rick]

You will hear people talk of feeding them bananas, lunch meat, etc. That is nothing like their normal diet so stay away. All insects are on the diet except honeybees and wasps. I typically don't feed them spiders. Crickets are fine if taken care of properly. I prefer the bulk of the cricket diet to be fresh foods instead of commercially prepared foods which in most cases are junk.

 

[fleurdejoo]

Human flesh... I would never feed them human flesh.

Wait...

 

[Malakyoma]

Human flesh... I would never feed them human flesh.

Wait...

Worlds slowest Evidence getter-ridder-ofer

 

[Introvertebrate]

Human flesh... I would never feed them human flesh.

Wait...

Ex-husband?

 

[lancaster1313]

I don't feed mine anything that has bright (piosonous looking) colors, like black, red, orange, and yellow. Defensive odors will keep me from feeding, as well (mantids might not care about the odors but I don't feel like smelling all that).

Also no ants, spiders, or bees. I like the spiders and bees too much and spiders can be dangerous for them, depending on the size or health of both predator or prey(it could go either way). Ants just seem like they can be dangerous, taste bad, or both.

 

[sinensispsyched]

Beetles' tegmina are too tough for most mantises to grasp. Soft bodied insects are easiest to grasp.

 

[Paradoxica]

Human flesh... I would never feed them human flesh.

Wait...

Ok, once I had peeled a big piece of dead skin off my self and gave it to a mantis, just to see if she was into it, she ate it all.

I'm pretty sure that is phase one of creating a man-eater

 

[fleurdejoo]

Omg! You made her eat human flesh!!!!

 

[Crazy4mantis]

As of right now it's looking like I'll have a ghost, a creo, and potentially some popa (depending on how they handle shipping) by early november.

the creo will eat pretty much anything, but they prefer flying foods. the ghost will eat mostly flying foods such as flies and moths and a cricket from time to time. I'v never had a popa but I'm guessing same as the creo.

 

[Malakyoma]

the creo will eat pretty much anything, but they prefer flying foods. the ghost will eat mostly flying foods such as flies and moths and a cricket from time to time. I'v never had a popa but I'm guessing same as the creo.

do they get big enough to handle crickets alright? I dont want them getting hurt because I gave them food that was too big for them.

 

[Paradoxica]

Does anyone know of a reason not to feed earthworms? I have a nearly unlimited supply of them from a compost bin at work.